How to Paint an Exterior Brick Slurry

Slurry is a layer of mortar, cement or grout that can be troweled over the top of brick masonry. For the best appearance when painting it, select high-quality paint products. The Sherwin-Williams Loxon paint system is one option that provides superior protection from wind-driven rain and moisture. When applied, the paint system is a great way to enhance the style and comfort of your home. The color you choose can accent a carport, porch or patio. To paint your brick slurry, first you need to prepare it for painting.

Things You'll Need

Paintbrushes

Interior or exterior paints

Primers or sealers

Lightweight grout

Drop cloths

Broom or scrub brush

Ladders

Paint roller covers, 1” thick

Paint roller

Paint roller pans

Household rags

Painter's masking tape

Preparation

Clean the surface that is going to be painted. A cleaning solution can be purchased from any home building center; Red Max or any concrete and masonry cleaner will do fine. Spray the cleaner from a pump canister or spray bottle onto the surface of the slurry.

A cleaner can be sprayed from a bottle to cut dirt. (Image: cleaning products image by AGITA LEIMANE from Fotolia.com)

Rinse off the area with a power washer or garden hose, to remove any loose dirt and grit. Allow the surface to dry. If you do not want to use excess water for dirt removal, use a broom or brush to clean loose dirt out of the area.

Prime the surface, using a sealer to block out moisture and protect the slurry. Allow time for the surface area to dry. The product that you purchased should tell you drying times in the instructions.

Brushing on primer (Image: young woman painting a wall green on a ledder image by Cherry-Merry from Fotolia.com)

Use a lightweight grout to fill in cracks, if the area has crevices and cracks that you do not want to show through in the paint work.

Crack to be filled with grout (Image: Cracked Wall image by Lee Mann from Fotolia.com)

Roll the paint onto the surface area and let it dry. Alternatively, you can brush the paint onto the area.

Rolling on paint (Image: paint roller image by Ana de Sousa from Fotolia.com)

Look over the area after the paint has dried to make sure that the paint covered the whole surface and did not leave any unpainted spots. If there are unpainted spots, you should repaint. Generally, every paint job needs two top coats of paint.

Tips & Warnings

When filling in the cracks with grout, make sure not to mix too much water with the grout. The grout will be too soft, and may not stay in the cracks. Follow the instructions on the bag for proper usage.

If using a ladder, make sure to stand it up properly, and do not lean off the side of the ladder.